Aquarius
by Madabelle
Summary: IF YOU HAVN'T READ PAST MANGA CHAPTER 382 AND ARE SPOILER SENSITIVE YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ THIS. Natsu finally has to face the sense of abandonment Lucy felt when he left. Will they resolve their differences? Will they finally let the other know how they feel? Or will they rip apart for good? :) Enjoy! If you want me to write more, review! :)


**Normally I prefer to write longer stories. However, I just couldn't help myself from writing a short one about Natsu and Lucy. This contains MANY spoilers. *spoilers* (anyone else conjure up pictures of River Song?) So, if you aren't in the mood to know the latest 30 or so chapters of the Manga, don't read. ****J**** Also, please review! I'm really trying to improve as a writer and would love any feedback. Both on this story or my other story- Blind Denial. ****J**** Have a great day! –Madabelle.**

"Activate! Power of the Water Bearer!"

Natsu watched in shock as Lucy consumed from an invisible world the powers of Aquarius. How was this possible?! In their earlier battles he had seen her obtain some of her Celestial Spirit's powers, but she had done so with them at her side and bearing clothes fashioned after their individual styles-she called them star dresses.

"Lucy-how?" He barely had the question from his mouth before Lucy spun towards their enemies, water circling about her as if she were the eye of a storm. Water rushed about them knocking their enemies to the ground. Natsu and happy spun around in circles as the water pushed them around and around. When he finally stopped spinning he dizzily looked up at Lucy. She stood majestic above their fallen foes. She was untouched by the water she had produced, misty droplets fell around her as if she were protected by an invisible dome. Above her shone a symbol of light in the air. Aquarius' sign.

He heard a gasp from their right. "Lucy?" It was Levy. "Lucy, you shouldn't be able to do that. . . Not unless..." Lucy turned to Levy and Natsu could see tears in her eyes. "Oh, Lu-chan, no!" She started running towards Lucy as Lucy fell to her knees crying. As Levy caught her in a hug she asked, "how long ago, Lucy? When did this happen?"

"The battle against Tartarus..." Lucy sobbed harder.

Natsu had never been more confused. Whatever had happened he could tell it was really bad and it had happened before the disbandment of Fairy Tail.

"Lucy, Levy, what's going on?" Natsu moved towards the two girls cautiously. To his dismay as he approached Lucy stood up and wiped away her tears.

"It's nothing Natsu. Just a gift from the Celestial Spirit King." Her tone was brisk and it burnt Natsu in a way fire never would. As she walked away Natsu watched after her longingly. Then he turned to Levy, a million questions in his eyes.

"Levy, what happened to Aquarius?"

"It's not my place to tell you, Natsu." She started to walk away from him but he grabbed her hand.

"Levy, please." He heard his voice break and she did too. She turned back to him slowly.

"I read about it in a book. A celestial mage can only take upon themselves the characteristics of their Spirits after a sacrifice is made. A sacrifice only the Celestial Spirit King can sanctify. If Lucy can take on the attributes of her spirits it means one of their keys was broken to summon the Celestial Spirit King. If she can take on the attributes of Aquarius without her being present it means she can no longer summon her. It means for all intents and purposes that, to Lucy at least, Aquarius is dead."

Natsu felt the weight of Levy's words sink to his soul. Everything suddenly clicked into place. That moment when he had felt the war with Tartarus shift he had known Lucy was responsible. But the price she paid finally was known to him. Lucy had broken one of her precious keys. He couldn't even imagine it. She loved her spirits more than anything in the world.

"I don't believe it. Lucy would never break one of her keys!"

"There is no other explanation, Natsu. Aquarius is gone."

"No. I won't believe it."

Natsu turned from Levy and ran after Lucy. He had to confirm it for himself. He followed her scent, tracking her back to their camp. _There_. He burst through the flap to her tent. She sat with her back to him, shoulders heaving. He moved to her side without any hesitation, kneeling on the floor beside her.

"Lucy." His voice was tender, pleading. She turned swollen eyes to his face. "Tell me it's not true."

"N-Natsu?"

"Your keys, Lucy, let me see your keys." His voice was rougher than he wanted it to be. She stared at him unblinkingly. "Please Lucy. Let me see?" She opened up the pouch on her side. He held his breath as she extended her key ring to him. He stared into her eyes a small moment before looking into his hands. _Loke, Ares, Virgo, Taurus, Scorpio, Capricorn, Cancer, Sagittarius, Gemini. _He passed over each of their golden keys with relief, they were fine. But then, at the back, he noticed the one thing he had feared._ Aquarius. _Only, her key was incomplete. The bottom half was broken off. His mind was screaming in protest. But when he looked into Lucy's eyes his own sadness didn't matter. He could see the pain in her eyes. Looking into her eyes nothing else mattered but her.

He lifted his hand and gently placed his fingers on her cheek, wiping his thumb over the tears streaming over her silken skin.

"That's how you saved us." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Lucy closed her eyes and nodded her head against his hand.

"Everyone was in danger. I was losing. Most Celestial Wizards can only summon two spirits at once. I was desperate. So I summoned Aquarius. I completed a third summon. But even that wasn't enough. I was still going to lose. But then," her voice broke, "then she told me if I could summon three spirits at once I was capable of summoning the Celestial Spirit King. When she told me the price I refused. I couldn't handle the thought of never seeing her again. But it was necessary. She was right when she said everyone else was going to die if I didn't make the choice. And so-"

"And so you broke her key."

"Yes. She was calling me a brat until the end. But, only the deepest bonds make possible the sacrifice of Spirit's key."

"Lucy." She opened her eyes and looked into Natsu's eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault Natsu."

"If I'd been more powerful back then…. You wouldn't have lost Aquarius."

"Natsu, when are you going to learn that you aren't responsible for the safety of the entire world?"

"Who said anything about the world? I'm talking about _you _Lucy. I wasn't powerful enough to protect you." She pushed back from him a little at his words.

"Physical protection isn't everything Natsu!" he didn't even know what that meant.

"Maybe not- but I promise to protect you and all of your spirits. You won't lose anyone else!" At this she laughed.

"You act as if I have anyone else to keep close." Natsu's eyes grew wide with sorrow.

"Lucy-don't say that! You'll always have me-"

"You?! I believed that once before, Natsu. I believed it with all my heart. I believed in Fairy Tail. But you all left me. The others, I can understand. They were ordered to follow their hearts. But _you, _you. Just. Left. Me!"

"I was coming back! I told you I'd be back!"

"No you didn't! You left me a note! You didn't tell me anything! You didn't discuss anything with me, you just walked out of my life like I didn't matter. When I needed you most you left. You left with your pain and you walked away. Don't you get it Natsu? I came to Fairy Tail with _you _I spent every day with _you _I joined _your team. _You were everything to me. My best friend, my home- Natsu you were my family. And just like my Mom, just like my Dad . . . and just like Aquarius- you left me." Natsu felt like he was going to be sick. The reality of what he had put Lucy through finally came crashing down. Her words hit him forcefully, painfully.

"Lucy-"he reached for her again, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Don't Natsu, don't give me any more excuses."

"Lucy!" She pushed her hands against his chest, pushing him away.

"Just leave Natsu! That's what you're good at!"

When she said this Natsu felt something snap inside of him. Before he could even register what he was doing, Natsu had pushed Lucy to the ground, and he was straddling her waist. "Stop it, Lucy," He growled, "Stop assuming I don't care." He looked into her eyes fiercely. "Listen to me Lucy. I'm only going to say this once. I'm sorry I left you behind. I realized right after I left how much I was going to miss you. I wanted to go back. I wanted to bring you with me. But I was embarrassed. I couldn't protect my Dad, the strongest Dragon I've ever known. I couldn't face you. I have never been more ashamed. I have never felt more useless. I had to find my inner strength once more. I couldn't face you until I knew I could protect you from my own weakness. But never, for one second, let yourself think that I didn't think of you every single day. That every time I woke up you weren't the first name to cross my mind. That I didn't use your name as my motivation every time I felt I couldn't push through the next insurmountable hurdle in my path. Every night as I lay down to rest I looked up at the stars, and I only saw you. Your name was the last thing I thought of every night and the highlight of every dream. You are my family. In a different way than Happy, Lucy, you are my home. I didn't know Fairy Tail wouldn't be there to protect you while I got stronger. I didn't know you would be left alone. Had I known I would have stayed, I would have stayed and kept the guild together, and if that failed I would have brought you with me. I don't regret leaving but I do regret leaving you. Every single day I regret letting you cry alone. I should have been with you. I should have been there to comfort you, to hold you. But if I hadn't left, I don't think I ever would have figured it out." The whole time Natsu spoke Lucy remained silent. She didn't move, she didn't speak and Natsu couldn't tell if she had even breathed. But when he paused she opened her mouth.

"Figured out what?" Her eyes were intense, they bore into his center, exposing his soul.

"That I love you." He spoke the words simply, without apology. Her eyes grew wide. He could see the shock that crossed her features, he could feel her body tense.

"wha-what did you say?"

"I love you Lucy Heartfilia."

Lucy looked at him for a silent moment. The tension between the two build steadily as their eyes examined the other. And then it broke as Lucy grabbed his scarf and pulled his face down. Before he could register what was happening Lucy's lips brushed against his own. After the initial shock wore off a desire to hold her close and breathe in her essence took over. His hand cupped the back of her neck and pulled her head up higher. As she leaned upwards and he backwards, his other hand found her waist, securing her in an embrace. As she sat completely up one hand slipped into his hair while the other held onto his back. His lips were moving against hers with an increasing intensity. He lost himself in the moment, everything seemed to fit perfectly. Lucy's tongue brushed against his lips and a shiver went through his body. His mouth slid open further as his own tongue slid forward to meet hers. The best fire he had ever tasted had never tasted like this. He held her tighter, unwilling to break their contact. Their kiss was deepening but without warning Lucy pushed away. She gasped for air, but it didn't matter to him. He crashed his lips against hers once more. She pushed away again, holding a hand over his lips as he attempted once more to kiss her. She held him back and he growled. Her voice breathlessly broke through his consciousness.

"Need … to … breathe …" That's when Natsu realized the fire in his Lungs was his need for oxygen. He took in a deep breath. It didn't help that everything smelled like her. He slowly untangled his arms from her waist and hair, pushing back from her. He sat next to her, both of them breathing heavily. He grabbed her hand, his thumb ran circles over the back. She scooted closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. He released her hand and put his arm around her shoulders, taking her other hand in his own. Together they regained the oxygen necessary to speak. When Lucy could speak once more she whispered up at him, "I love you too, Natsu. I always have." They sat that way, silently embracing for what seemed like hours. The light outside the tent grew dim and a different feeling was entering the tent. He respected Lucy too much to listen to the feeling.

"I'd better leave Lucy. It's getting late." She held his hand tighter.

"NO! Don't go!" he chuckled.

"What? No Lucy kick tonight?" He looked down as she blushed.

"Well, I, uh-"

"I'm just teasing Lucy."

"So- you'll stay?" he grinned down at her,

"No. I won't."

"But-"

"No buts Lucy. I'm not ready to claim my mate." He looked down at her with a devilish glint in his eyes.

"Why not!?" He was taken back a bit at her comment.

"Uh-um-I" he cleared his throat and continued. "I may be part Dragon, a creature run by instinct. But I'm also part human with morals."  
"Natsu-what does that even mean?"

"It means-don't laugh-but … Claiming my mate is supposed to be special, not something flippant or casual. Igneel taught me that I should do so by coupling the action with the Human equivalent of mate-selection."

"So-what you're saying is…?"

"I'll only claim you as my mate after I've claimed you as my wife."

He didn't wait for her response, he stood up and started walking away from her. She stood up and ran after him. Her arms encircled his waist, her head resting between his shoulder blades. "Thank you Natsu. Thank you for respecting me in a way I couldn't expect." He turned around to face her. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips before pulling away.

"I told you Lucy, I love you." And with that he walked out into the night, feeling warmer than he ever had before.


End file.
